The present invention relates to a novel powdery flame retardant.
Flame retardants for synthetic resins such as phosphazen compounds, phosphoric ester compounds or the like are generally liquid or intrinsically solid. Nevertheless, these flame retardants tend to be produced as a mixture in a liquid or viscous solid state due to homologues or analogues produced as a by-product in the course of production. The flame retardants show the same tendency even if they have a high purity of, e.g. 98% or above.
When the flame retardant is added to a synthetic resin and the like, a powdery substance can be more easily handled and can be more expediently supplied, as a matter of course, than a liquid or viscous solid substance. Further, a powdery substance is more advantageous in packaging or transporting.
To pulverize a liquid or viscous solid substance, a purification method such as recrystallization using an organic solvent or fractional distillation is generally carried out. However, such methods have drawbacks that not only the methods require special equipment and energy as a heat source, but also it is unavoidable to recover and re-use the organic solvent.
An object of the present invention is to provide a novel powdery flame retardant free from the foregoing prior art problems.
Another object of the invention is to provide a novel powdery flame retardant prepared by pulverizing a flame retardant which is liquid or a viscous solid at ordinary temperature by a simple method free from the prior art problems.
Other objects and features of the invention are apparent from the following description.
According to the invention, there is provided a powdery flame retardant prepared by mixing a flame retardant which is liquid or a viscous solid at ordinary temperature with an inorganic fibrous substance to adhere or adsorb the flame retardant to the fibrous substance, the powdery flame retardant comprising 5 to 70 wt. % of the flame retardant and 95 to 30 wt. % of the fibrous substance.
The present inventors conducted extensive research to achieve the foregoing objects and found that a powdery flame retardant is obtained by merely mixing a flame retardant which is liquid or a viscous solid at ordinary temperature with an inorganic fibrous substance to adhere or adsorb the flame retardant to the fibrous substance, namely that it is obtained by the simple process without impairing the performance of the flame retardant as the starting material.
The present invention was completed based on this novel finding.
The powdery flame retardant of the present invention comprises as effective components a flame retardant which is liquid or a viscous solid at ordinary temperature and an inorganic fibrous substance. The term xe2x80x9cliquid at ordinary temperaturexe2x80x9d used herein refers to a liquid having a viscosity of about 0.3 mpaxc2x7s to about 10 Paxc2x7s at 25xc2x0 C. The term xe2x80x9ca viscous solid at ordinary temperaturexe2x80x9d used herein means a solid having a viscosity of about 10 Paxc2x7s or more at 25xc2x0 C.
Conventional flame retardants can be used as the flame retardant which is liquid or a viscous solid at ordinary temperature, namely as the raw material for the powdery flame retardant of the invention.
Preferred flame retardants for use as the starting material are, for example, phosphazene compounds, phosphoric ester compounds, organic halogen compounds and the like which are useful in producing a powdery flame retardant in a favorably powdery state. The term xe2x80x9cin a favorably powdery statexe2x80x9d used herein means a state wherein the powder has a substantially uniform particle size, scarcely solidifies even when stored for a long term and raises no dust in use.
Phosphazene compounds and phosphoric ester compounds are especially preferred as the starting flame retardant because they are free of halogen element which generates a harmful gas or compound on exposure to a high temperature. When a flame retardant resin composition is prepared from the powdery flame retardant of the invention and a synthetic resin, the flame retardant of the invention containing at least one of these starting flame retardants and an inorganic fibrous substance can attain a V-0 level flame retardancy in a test according to the method of flame retardancy test UL-94 (Test for Flammability of Plastic Materials for Parts in Devices and Appliances UL-94, Fourth Edition) without addition of a dripping inhibitor (inhibitor for preventing dripping of flaming particles) such as polytetrafluoroethylene or the like. Consequently the flame retardant of the invention is significantly suitable as a powdery flame retardant for a completely halogen-free flame retardant resin composition.
Phosphazene compounds useful as the starting flame retardant can be any of conventional compounds disclosed in patent publications, literature, etc., specifically in James E. Mark, Harry R. Allcock and Robert West, xe2x80x9cInorganic Polymersxe2x80x9d (Prentice-Hall International, Inc., 1992), pp. 61-140.
Stated more specifically, the following compounds (1) to (4) can be exemplified.
(1) A cyclic phosphazene compound represented by the formula (1) 
wherein m is an Integer of 3 to 25, two R1 groups are the same or different and each represents a phenyl group substituted with at least one group selected from an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms and an allyl group, or an unsubstituted phenyl group.
(2) A straight-chain phosphazene compound represented by the formula (2) 
wherein n is an integer of 3 to 1,000, R1 is as defined above, X represents a group xe2x80x94Nxe2x95x90P(OR1)3 or a group xe2x80x94Nxe2x95x90P(O)OR1, and Y represents a group xe2x80x94P(OR1)4 or a group xe2x80x94P(O)(OR1)2.
(3) A crosslinked phosphazene compound wherein at least one of the foregoing phosphazene compounds (1) and (2) is crosslinked with at least one crosslinking group selected from the class consisting of o-phenylene group, m-phenylene group, p-phenylene group, biphenylene group and a group represented by the formula 
wherein A is a group xe2x80x94SO2xe2x80x94, a group xe2x80x94Sxe2x80x94, a group xe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94 or a group xe2x80x94C(CH3)2xe2x80x94, each of said crosslinking groups being interposed between the two oxygen atoms left after the elimination of group R1 from the phosphazene compound (1) or (2), and the amount of the R1 groups in the crosslinked phosphazene compound being 50 to 99.9% based on the total number of R1 groups in said phosphazene compound prior to crosslinking.
(4) At least one phosphazene compound selected from the group consisting of a cyclic phosphazene compound represented by the formula (3) 
wherein R2 is a cyano-substituted phenyl group; R3 is an alkyl group having 1 to 18 carbon atoms or an aryl group having 6 to 10 carbon atoms; these groups may be substituted with at least one group selected from alkyl groups having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, allyl group and aryl groups; when two or more R3 groups exist, the R3 groups may be the same or different; p and q are numbers which fulfill the requirements that p greater than 0, qxe2x89xa70, and p+q=2; and r is an integer of 3 to 25, and a straight-chain phosphazene compound represented by the formula (4) 
wherein R2, R3, p and q are as defined above; s is an integer of 3 to 1,000; Xxe2x80x2 is a group xe2x80x94P(OR2)4, a group xe2x80x94P(OR2)3(OR3), a group xe2x80x94P(OR2)2(OR3)2, a group xe2x80x94P(OR2)(OR3)3 a group P(OR3)4, a group xe2x80x94P (O)(OR2)2, a group xe2x80x94P(O)(OR2)(OR3), or a group xe2x80x94P(O)(OR3)2; and Yxe2x80x2 is a group xe2x80x94Nxe2x95x90P(OR2)3, a group xe2x80x94Nxe2x95x90P(OR2)2(OR3), a group xe2x80x94Nxe2x95x90P(OR2)(OR3)2, a group xe2x80x94Nxe2x95x90P(OR3)3, a group xe2x80x94Nxe2x95x90P(O)OR2 or a group xe2x80x94Nxe2x95x90P(O)OR3.
These phosphazene compounds can be used either alone or in combination and include a mixture of cyclic and straight-chain phosphazene compounds.
Specific examples of the cyclic phosphazene compound (1) and the straight-chain phosphazene compound (2) include a mixture of phosphazene compounds in which phenoxy groups and/or alkoxy groups are introduced as substituents and which are obtainable from a mixture of cyclic and straight-chain chlorophosphazenes, e.g.,
hexachlorocyclotriphosphazene,
octachlorocyclotetraphosphazene and the like, prepared by reacting ammonium chloride and phosphorus pentachloride at about 120 to about 130xc2x0 C.; and
hexaphenoxycyclotriphosphazene,
octaphenoxycyclotetraphosphazene,
decaphenoxycyclopentaphosphazene,
hexaalkoxycyclotriphosphazene,
octaalkoxycyclotetraphosphazene,
decaalkoxycyclopentaphosphazene and like cyclic
phosphazene compounds obtained by isolating, from the above mixture of chlorophosphazenes,
hexachlorocyclotriphosphazene,
octachlorocyclotetraphosphazene,
decachlorocyclopentaphosphazene or like simple substances,
followed by substitution with a phenoxy group and/or an alkoxy group. Specific examples of the straight-chain phosphazene compound (2) include those obtained by heating (at 220 to 250xc2x0 C.) hexachlorocyclotriphosphazene, for ring-opening polymerization to give dichlorophosphazene, followed by substitution with a phenoxy group and/or an alkoxy group.
Specific examples of the crosslinked phosphazene compound (3) are phenoxyphosphazene having 4,4xe2x80x2-sulfonyldiphenylene(bisphenol-S residue) group-crosslinked structure, phenoxyphosphazene having 2,2-(4,4xe2x80x2-diphenylene)isopropylidene group-crosslinked structure, phenoxyphosphazene having 4,4xe2x80x2-oxydiphenylene group-crosslinked structure, phenoxyphosphazene having 4,4xe2x80x2-thiodiphenylene group-crosslinked structure, phenoxyphosphazene having 4,4xe2x80x2-diphenylene group-crosslinked structure, etc.
Specific examples of the phosphazene compound (4) are monocyanophenoxypentaphenoxycyclotriphosphazene, dicyanophenoxytetraphenoxycyclotriphosphazene, tricyanophenoxytriphenoxycyclotriphosphazene, tetracyanophenoxydiphenoxycyclotriphosphazene, pentacyanophenoxymonophenoxycyclotriphosphazene and like cyclotriphosphazene compounds; monocyanophenoxy-heptaphenoxycyclotetraphosphazene, dicyanophenoxyhexaphenoxycyclotetraphosphazene, tricyanophenoxypentaphenoxycyclotetraphosphazene, tetracyanophenoxytetraphenoxycyclotetraphosphazene, pentacyanophenoxytriphenoxycyclotetraphosphazene, hexacyanophenoxydiphenoxycyclotetraphosphazene, heptacyanophenoxymonophenoxycyclotetraphosphazene and like cyclotetraphosphazene compounds; cyclopentaphosphazene compounds having both cyanophenoxy and phenoxy groups as substituents; and like cyclic phosphazene compounds; and straight-chain phosphazene compounds having both cyanophenoxy and phenoxy groups as substituents.
Among these compounds, preferred are the cyclic phosphazene compound (1) wherein m is an integer of 3 to 8, the straight-chain phosphazene compound (2) wherein n is an integer of 3 to 25, the crosslinked phosphazene compound (3) wherein A is a group xe2x80x94SO2xe2x80x94, a group xe2x80x94Sxe2x80x94, or a group xe2x80x94C(CH3)2xe2x80x94 and the phosphazene compound (4) having both cyanophenoxy and phenoxy groups as substituents.
The purity of the phosphazene compound is variable depending on its starting materials, producing process and production conditions and is usually about 98 to about 99%. The purity of phosphazene compounds usable in the invention is not limited but is at least 90%, preferably at least 95%. Insofar as the purity of the phosphazene compound is in the above-specified range, pulverization can be performed in a simple manner and in a short time, and a powder can be obtained in a more favorable state.
Examples of the phosphoric ester compound useful as the starting flame retardant are trimethyl phosphate, triethyl phosphate, tributyl phosphate, tris(2-chloroethyl)phosphate, tris(p-tolyl)phosphate, resorcinol-bis(diphenyl phosphate), tris(dibromopropyl)phosphate, etc.
Among them, preferable are trimethyl phosphate, triethyl phosphate, tributyl phosphate, tris(p-tolyl)phosphate, resorcinol-bis(diphenyl phosphate), etc.
Among them, more preferable are tris(p-tolyl)phosphate, resorcinol-bis(diphenyl phosphate), etc.
Available as a process for preparing these organic phosphorus compounds are, for example, the processes disclosed in New Experimental Chemistry Course (Maruzen), vol. 12, pp. 421-470, John R. Van Wazer, xe2x80x9cPhosphorus and Its Compoundsxe2x80x9d, Interscienece Publishers, Inc., New York, Harry R. Allcock, et al., xe2x80x9cInorganic Polymersxe2x80x9d, Prentice-Hall International, Inc., pp. 61-140, Japanese Examined Patent Publication No.19003/1994, Macromolecules 1985, 18, pp.139-144, etc.
Organic halogen compounds useful as the starting flame retardant are, for example, dibromocresylglycidyl ether, chlorinated paraffin and the like.
Examples of the inorganic fibrous substance useful as the raw material for the powdery flame retardant of the invention are talc, silica, clay, barium carbonate, calcium carbonate, calcium sulfate, calcium silicate, titanium oxide, glass beads, glass ballons, glass flakes, glass fibers, fibrous alkali metal salt of titanic acid, fibrous transition metal salt of boric acid, fibrous alkaline earth metal salt of boric acid, fibrous zinc oxide, fibrous titanium oxide, fibrous magnesium oxide, fibrous gypsum, fibrous aluminum silicate (mullite by mineral name), fibrous calcium silicate (wollastonite by mineral name), fibrous silicon carbide, fibrous titanium carbide, fibrous silicon nitride, fibrous titanium nitride, carbon fiber, alumina fiber, alumina-silica fiber, zirconia fiber, quartz fiber, etc. Typical examples of fibrous alkali metal salt of titanic acid, fibrous transition metal salt of boric acid and fibrous alkaline earth metal salt of boric acid are potassium titanate fiber, aluminum borate fiber, magnesium borate fiber, etc. Among them, preferable are fibrous alkali metal salt of titanic acid, wollastonite and magnesium borate fiber, and more preferable are fibrous alkali metal salt of titanic acid and wollastonite. These inorganic fibrous substances can be used either alone or in combination and may be used in combination with inorganic additives commonly used.
The foregoing inorganic fibrous substance can be prepared according to conventional processes disclosed in patent publications, literature and the like. For example, the processes for preparing the following substances are described in parenthesized documents: fibrous zinc oxide (Japanese Examined Patent Publication No.5529/1985, Japanese Examined Patent Publication No.51657/1991, etc.), fibrous magnesium oxide (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No.11223/1985, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No.210000/1986, etc.), fibrous gypsum (Japanese Examined Patent Publication No.12235/1983, Japanese Examined Patent Publication No.34410/1983, etc.), fibrous aluminum silicate (mullite by mineral name, Japanese Examined Patent Publication No.76956/1992, Japanese Examined Patent Publication No.96480/1995, etc.), fibrous calcium silicate (wollastonite by mineral name, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No.319199/1996, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No.40840/1997, etc.), fibrous silicon carbide (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No.109811/1981, Japanese Examined Patent Publication No.4999/1989, etc.), fibrous titanium carbide (Japanese Examined Patent Publication No.45638/1984, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No.250225/1987, etc.), fibrous silicon nitride (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No.17499/1982, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No.17500/1982, etc.), and fibrous titanium nitride (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No.221198/1990, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No.173000/1995, etc.).
A preferred potassium titanate fiber is potassium hexatitanate fiber having an aspect ratio of 10 or more. Conventional potassium titanate fibers can be used without limitation if they have an aspect ratio of 10 or more. The term xe2x80x9caspect ratioxe2x80x9d means a fiber length/fiber diameter. If said ratio is less than 10, sufficient flame-retardant effect can not be attained. The potassium titanate fibers can be produced by conventional methods using a potassium compound and a titanium compound as the starting materials. Usually it is suitable to use potassium titanate fibers having an average fiber diameter of about 0.05 to about 2.0 xcexcm and an average fiber length of about 1 to about 500 xcexcm.
Among said potassium titanate fibers, it is desirable to use those having a pH of 6.0 to 8.5. The pH of the potassium titanate fibers herein referred to is a value (as measured at 20xc2x0 C.) of a pH of 1.0 wt % aqueous slurry (deionized water) of potassium titanate fibers being stirred after stirring for about 10 minutes. If the pH of potassium titanate fibers far exceeds 8.5, the resin to be rendered flame-retardant is likely to become deteriorated in properties and in heat discoloration resistance when the powdery flame retardant containing the fibers as the raw material is added to the resin. Hence it is undesirable. On the other hand, the pH of far below 6.0 not only reduces the effect of increasing the strength of a molded product of a resin composition comprising a resin and the powdery flame retardant incorporated into the resin to make the resin flame-retardant, but also erodes a processing machine and a mold due to the residual acid. Hence it is undesirable.
The powdery flame retardant of the invention can be prepared by mixing a flame retardant which is liquid or a viscous solid at ordinary temperature with an inorganic fibrous substance to adhere or adsorb the flame retardant to the fibrous substance. Usually the powdery flame retardant of the invention comprises 5 to 70 wt. % of the flame retardant which is liquid or a viscous solid at ordinary temperature and 95 to 30 wt. % of the inorganic fibrous substance, or preferably 20 to 60 wt. %, more preferably 30 to 50 wt. %, of the flame retardant which is liquid or a viscous solid at ordinary temperature and preferably 80 to 40 wt. %, more preferably 70 to 50 wt. %, of the inorganic fibrous substance. If the amount of the inorganic fibrous substance used exceeds 95 wt. %, the flame retardancy is decreased, whereas less than 30 wt. % renders the mixture viscous as a whole and readily induces agglomeration of powder, rendering the powder non-uniform and resulting in failure to achieve sufficient pulverization. Hence it is undesirable. On the other hand, more than 70 wt. % of the flame retardant which is liquid or a viscous solid at ordinary temperature makes the mixture viscous as a whole and is disadvantageous in terms of costs, whereas less than 5 wt. % lowers the flame retardancy. Hence the use of the flame retardant outside the above amount range is undesirable.
The powdery flame retardant of the invention can be prepared by mixing the flame retardant which is liquid or a viscous solid at ordinary temperature with the inorganic fibrous substance to adhere or adsorb the flame retardant to the surface of fibrous substance for pulverization. Useful mixing means include conventional instruments or machines. Examples are spade mixers, ribbon mixers, screw mixers and like mixers equipped with a stirrer. Specific methods of pulverization, for example, comprises charging the required amount of fibrous substance in a mixer equipped with a stirrer, stirring and mixing the substance, heating, when required, the flame retardant which is liquid or a viscous solid at ordinary temperature to convert it into a liquid, and adding the liquid dropwise or otherwise to pulverize the whole mixture. The rotational speed of the stirrer in the mixer is variable depending the kind of stirrer and the form thereof and is generally in the range of about 100 to about 5,000 rpm, preferably about 500 to about 1,000 rpm. When the flame retardant to be added in pulverization is a liquid of relatively low viscosity, the flame retardant can be supplied, as it is, to said mixer using a conventional liquid injector. If the flame retardant to be added has a high viscosity or is a wax-like viscous solid, the flame retardant is heated in an oven or like heater and is supplied while holding the viscosity as lowered to 0.01 to 1 Paxc2x7s, preferably 0.05 to 0.5 Paxc2x7s at 25xc2x0 C. After completion of addition of flame retardant, the stirring and mixing are continued for 0.5 to 10 minutes, preferably 1 to 2 minutes to complete the pulverization.
The powdery flame retardant of the present invention is produced in this way. The powdery flame retardant of the invention is suitable for use in rendering various synthetic resins flame-retardant. When the flame retardant of the invention is kneaded with a resin, the flame retardant may be passed through a sieve of 4 to 16 meshes, preferably 6 to 10 meshes for attaining more uniform dispersibility so as to adjust the average particle size to about 500 xcexcm to about 4 mm, preferably about 1 to about 3 mm. The term xe2x80x9ckneadxe2x80x9d used herein means that when the powdery flame retardant is mixed with a resin, a shearing force is exerted on the flame retardant and the resin at the same time to uniformly disperse the flame retardant in the resin.
Examples of resins to which the powdery flame retardant of the invention can be applied are polyethylene, polypropylene, polyisoprene, polybutadiene, polystyrene, high-impact polystyrene (HIPS), acrylonitrile-styrene resin (AS resin), acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene resin (ABS resin), methyl methacrylate-butadiene-styrene resin (MBS resin), methyl methacrylate-acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene resin (MABS resin), acylonitrile-acrylic rubber-styrene resin (AAS resin), polyalkyl (meth)acrylate, aromatic polycarbonate (PC), polyphenylene ether (PPE), polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), polyether sulfone (PES), polysulfone (PSU), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), polyamide (PA), polyether ketone (PEK), polyether ether ketone (PEEK), polyamideimide (PAI), polyether imide (PEI), polyimide (PI) and like thermoplastic resins, epoxy resin and like thermosetting resins, etc.
When the powdery flame retardant of the invention is kneaded with a synthetic resin to give a flame retardant resin composition, it is suitable to use about 20 to about 60 parts by weight, preferably about 25 to about 50 parts by weight, of the powdery flame retardant per 100 parts by weight of the resin. More than 60 parts by weight of the powdery flame retardant impairs the mechanical properties of the flame retardant resin composition and results in disadvantage in terms of costs, whereas less than 20 parts by weight of the powdery flame retardant leads to insufficient flame retardancy. Hence the use of powdery flame retardant outside said amount range is undesirable.
When a flame retardant resin composition is prepared by kneading the powdery flame retardant of the invention with synthetic resins, it is possible to add a suitable combination of additives for resins in a way to select species of additives and the amount thereof none of which will adversely affect the performance of the flame retardant. These additives for resins (hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9cresin additivesxe2x80x9d) include, for example, other flame retardants, UV absorbers, light stabilizers, antioxidants, light screens, metal deactivators, light-extinguishing agents, heat resistance stabilizers, lubricants, mold releasing agents, coloring agents, antistatic agents, antiaging agents, plasticizers, impact strength improving agents, fillers and compatibilizers, etc.
More specific examples of the resin additives are aluminum hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide, antimony trioxide, antimony pentaoxide, boric acid, barium borate, calcium borate, magnesium carbonate, zinc oxide, barium sulfate, aluminum sulfate, magnesium sulfate, ammonium polyphosphate, sodium toluenesulfonate, sodium naphthalenesulfonate, guanidine, melamine cyanurate, melamine, chitin, chitosan, liquid crystal polymer, mica, kaolin, etc. Among them, preferred are aluminum hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide, barium sulfate, aluminum sulfate, ammonium polyphosphate and liquid crystal polymer, and more preferred are aluminum hydroxide and barium sulfate. These resin additives can be used either alone or in combination. The resin additives can be added when the flame retardant of the invention is prepared.
When the foregoing resin additive is used, it is suitable to knead the resin additive in an amount of 0.01 to 30 parts by weight, preferably 0.5 to 20 parts by weight, per 100 parts by weight of the synthetic resin, with the powdery flame retardant of the invention. The use of the resin additive may further increase, for example, the flame retardancy according to the characteristics of the resin additive. If less than 0.01 part by weight of the resin additive is used, the flame retardancy or like property is not enhanced, whereas more than 30 parts by weight impairs the mechanical properties of the resin after kneading. Hence the use of the resin additive outside said amount range is unfavorable.
Moldings formed of the flame retardant resin composition containing the powdery flame retardant of the invention are excellent in mechanical properties and flame retardancy. The resin composition can be molded into moldings by, e.g. injection molding, sheet extrusion, vacuum molding, contour extrusion molding, blow molding, foam molding, injection press molding, gas injection molding and the like.
Moldings made by said molding methods, for example, find applications in various industrial fields, such as electrical, electronic or telecommunication industries, industries of agriculture, forestry, fishery, mining, construction, foods, fibers, clothings, medical services, coal, petroleum, rubber, leather, automobiles, precision machinery, timber, furniture, printing, musical instruments and the like. Stated more specifically, moldings of the flame retardant resin composition are suitable for business or office automation equipment such as printers, personal computers, word processors, keyboards, PDA (personal digital assistants), telephones, facsimile machines, copying machines, ECR (electronic cash registers), desk-top electronic calculators, electronic databooks, electronic dictionaries, cards, holders, and stationery; electrical household appliances and electrical equipment such as washing machines, refrigerators, cleaners, microwave ovens, lighting equipment, game machines, irons and kotatsu (low, covered table with a heat source underneath); audio-visual equipment such as TV, VTR, video cameras, radio cassette recorders, tape recorders, mini discs, CD players, speakers and liquid crystal displays; and electric or electronic parts and telecommunication equipment, such as connectors, relays, condensers, switches, printed circuit boards, coil bobbins, semiconductor sealing materials, electric wires, cables, transformers, deflecting yokes, distribution boards, clocks and watches. The resin composition are suitable for the following applications: articles for automobiles, vehicles, ships, aircraft and construction, such as seats (e.g., paddings, outer materials, etc.), belts, ceiling coverings, convertible tops, arm rests, door trims, rear package trays, carpets, mats, sun visors, wheel covers, mattress covers, air bags, insulation materials, hangers, hand straps, electric wire-sheathing materials, electrical insulating materials, paints, coating materials, overlaying materials, floor materials, corner walls, deck panels, covers, plywood, ceiling boards, partition plates, side walls, carpets, wall papers, wall covering materials, exterior materials, interior materials, roofing materials, sound insulating panels, thermal insulating panels and window materials; and living necessities and sporting goods, such as clothings, curtains, sheets, plywood, laminated fiber boards, carpets, entrance mats, seats, buckets, hoses, containers, glasses, bags, cases, goggles, skies, rackets, tents and musical instruments.